2021.

 The push last week to complete 20,000 miles on the year was a success.  The last two days I was on the Mukluk with studded tires.  That didn't speed the process up any!  With the new snow I felt it best to roll on the fat tires.  There were times when I thought the Cutthroat would have been fine but more times that not I was saved from hitting the ground because of the fat tires.  Most of the time it was when I had to move over for traffic.  The sides of the roads were a mess, rutted, and/or icy.

On the first day, Wednesday, nearing Little Falls.

I was out longer than I anticipated and was requiring more food.  King size candy bars to the rescue.

The Ride.

Thursday I was sluggish and tired.  But I made it out earlier than the previous day.  I had 67 miles left to go and I wanted to be home much earlier to hang with the family on New Years Eve.  The wind was now out of the south so yep...County Road 8.  The first hour sucked.  My legs were pissed, my butt was sore from riding the fat bike so much right off the bat, and my mind wasn't in it.  But after that hour of struggle things started clicking smoothly and I was feeling oddly good.  Before I knew it I was at my turn around point, heading home with a tailwind.

Nearing the end.

The Ride.  7 miles extra.

Year end info from Strava.

I started out the year not having 20,000 miles as a goal.  I honestly never really have a mileage goal but to just ride when I can and always enjoy the ride.  I do like to try and match the previous year in mileage however so 13,000-15,000 was the "goal" if there was one.  As I reached mileage milestones on Strava I'd get questions if 20,000 was my goal.  First at 10,000 then 15,000 and finally at 18,000 I'd get inquiries. Each time I'd do the math and feel it was just too much to do.  But with December starting off so warm and snowless the miles just kept piling on.  It then became a quest.  Ideally I wouldn't have had so much left the last week but I managed and had the support from my family and work so I guess it all worked out.

The rest of 2020 was spent with the family sledding, snowshoeing, lounging, games, etc.  I did get out for a sub hour bike ride on Saturday to check out he North Loop.  It's riding great!  Saturday we snowshoed at Sand Praire.  I'm heading there this morning to check out our work.

For 2021 I do have a mileage goal...less than 2020.  I don't regret riding as much as I did as Covid really allowed for that.  But I'd like to diversify my outside activities.  Don't get me wrong, I love biking and will still bike a bunch.  I'd just like to carve out sometime for snowshoeing, skiing, canoeing, and such.

Off to Sand Prairie.

Happy Monday.